In this New England variation on the Cinderella plot, the orphan Jane Elton fights to preserve her honesty and her dignity in a household where religion is much talked about but little practiced. Through Jane, A New-England Tale (1822) celebrates the evolution of the American subject, situating the heroine among a cast of characters who embody various shadings of moral, religious, and civic virtues and vices. Among the virtuous are the affectionate servant Mary Hull, a pious Methodist, and Mr. Lloyd, a kind Quaker; among the vicious are her aunt, a repressive Calvinist, and her cousins, deceitful, dishonest, and dangerous. Ultimately, A New-England Tale is about the connection between parenting and governing, and the key role women play in shaping a fledgling nation.